Rio Mesa Pays Dearly for Errors in 33-18 Loss

In a game in which Rio Mesa High had difficulty with the conversion kick, it was no surprise that mistakes caught up with the previously undefeated Spartans.

Rio Mesa held a six-point lead over Ventura with eight minutes left in a Channel League opener Friday at Rio Mesa. A personal foul and a fumble later, the Spartans were left with a 33-18 loss.

“We made too many mental mistakes,” Rio Mesa Coach John Reardon said. “We have a good football team, but we just made a couple too many mistakes.”

Rio Mesa (3-1), which trailed, 12-0, after one quarter, used a five-yard touchdown run by Gordy Abellera (96 yards in 12 carries) and a 34-yard pass from Andy Contreras to Swanson Nunnery to tie the score, 12-12, with 8 minutes 52 seconds left in the third quarter.

Abellera’s second touchdown, a two-yard run with 37 seconds left in the third quarter, gave Rio Mesa an 18-12 lead. The Spartans, who already had two conversion kicks blocked, opted for a two-point pass but the ball skipped off Nunnery’s fingertips in the end zone.

Ventura (3-1, 1-0), which entered the game averaging 427 yards on offense, struggled after its first two drives resulted in touchdowns. And, when the Cougars faced third and 17 at their 35 after Rio Mesa’s final touchdown, it again appeared as if the Spartans had stopped them.

But defensive tackle Paul Santellano was flagged for roughing Ventura quarterback Trevor Rumsey after an incomplete pass, giving the Cougars an automatic first down at the 50. Seven plays later, Rumsey scored from the four and added the conversion kick to give Ventura a 19-18 lead with 8:32 left.

“That was a terrible thing that happened,” Reardon said.

Yet it got worse for the Spartans on their next play when Contreras hit Nunnery for a 12-yard gain and Nunnery fumbled at Rio Mesa’s 34 with 7:50 left. Elan Walshe recovered and, on Ventura’s first play, Jake Kochel scored from 34 yards and Rumsey’s kick extended Ventura’s lead to 26-18.

“That fumble was the break we needed,” Ventura Coach Harvey Kochel said.

With running backs such as Derek Swafford and Devon Passno, the Cougars are not supposed to need any breaks. That tandem entered the game with 699 yards, but Swafford fought hard for 93 yards in 17 carries and Passno carried 14 times for 93.

But Rio Mesa couldn’t get a handle on Rumsey, a senior who was six of 13 for 119 yards and carried 10 times for 45 yards. “They just have too many weapons,” Reardon said.

Kochel’s score finished Rio Mesa, which was forced to punt after three plays. Ventura, which had 398 total yards, added a one-yard run by Swafford with 1:03 left.

“We knew their speed would be something we’d have a hard time keeping up with,” Reardon said.

That was evident on the game’s first drive when Ventura used 6:39 to march 85 yards, 64 of which were gained by Passno. Passno finished the drive with a one-yard run that gave Ventura a 6-0 lead.

After a Rio Mesa punt, Ventura needed just five plays to travel 50 yards and take a 12-0 lead. Swafford carried for 33 yards to Rio Mesa’s 17 and scored from one yard with 42 seconds left in the quarter. Rumsey’s conversion again failed.